Sir

I am now to inform your Excellency that my Flag being hoisted on board of the Washington I came up with the Ships & attacked at ¼ past One this Afternoon. The Pheonix fired the first Gun which was return'd by the Lady Washington whose Shot went thro the Pheonix ー Upon my Orders the Lady Washington put about to form a Line the tide was such that the Washington & Spit fire was exposed to the Broad Sides of the Ships for ½ of an hour without Suffering mutch Damage, we engaged them an hour & a half and then we thought to retreat to Dobbs's Ferry about 4 miles below the Ships The Damages we Sustaind is as follows. Viz

Washington 4 Slightly wounded Sail & riging mutch Damaged 13 Shot in her hullー

Lady Washington Craiht her 32 Pounder no other Damage

Spit fire one killed 2 badly wounded hull & riging mutch Damagedー

Shark none kill'd or wounded hull'd four times.

The Whiting one Man lost both leggs and 4 more wounded riging mutch Damaged two Men wounded one of them mortally,

it is thought of but not yet determin'd whether we shall retreat to Spiking Devil or not we wish to give them another Drubing we Saw many Splinters drifting down, I am Your Excellency's [&c.]